Today, an international arbitration court handed Slovenia a victory in its long-standing maritime dispute with Croatia, granting it direct access to international waters in the Adriatic Sea.
The town of Piran on the Adriatic coast of Slovenia. (photo: Ubald Trnkoczy)
The countries have been arguing over a stretch of their sea and land border since both declared independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 as it disintegrated into war and broke up.
The dispute, which centres on the bay of Piran, held up Croatia accession to the EU for many years. Only after both parties agreed to arbitration was Zagreb granted entry to the bloc in 2013.
Slovenia and Norway have been declared the best countries for children to live in, according to Save the Children, which issued its first ever End of Childhood Index, measuring worldwide youth health and well-being. The report identifies eight factors that effectively ruin childhood across the globe: poor diet, lack of schooling, infant death, child marriage, child labor, teen pregnancy and regional conflict. Based on reports from global organizations, the countries are judged on each factor, then the average determines the global ranking.
A family stop to take in the view of Lake Bohinj. (photo: Tomo Jesenicnik)
The top ten countries in the report are all from Europe, except South Korea, which is ranked 10th together with Germany, Belgium and Cyprus.
The bottom countries on the list, Mali, Angola and Niger, along with a few other Central African countries, are where childhood is most highly threatened.
Out of 172 countries, the USA came in at only 36, well behind most of Europe. Perhaps the new US first lady Melania Trump should skip the move to Washington and move her son Barron to her native Slovenia.
The Ana Desetnica international street theatre festival in Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana. (photo: Dunja Wedam)
Grass mowing at the Matk tourist farm. (photo: Jost Gantar)
A family lunch. (photo: Jost Gantar)
A family trim vines. (photo: Jost Gantar)
Family canoeing at Lake Bohinj. (photo: Mojca Odar)
Slovenia’s orientation towards sustainable, environmentally friendly tourism received another confirmation. Travel + Leisure, a very popular travel magazine based in New York with almost 5 million readers, listed Slovenia among ’The Most Environmentally Friendly Countries To Visit In 2017’.
In the article, Slovenia was described with the following words: ‘Slovenia is home to Lake Cerknica, an intermittent lake—that is, a lake in the middle of a karst forest that disappears and reappears—where visitors can fish, row or bike, and each time see the lake take on a new shape. There’s also breathtaking Lake Bled. The glass-smooth surface of the lake surrounds an island with a Gothic church planted in the middle, and mirrored in the water.’
Beside Slovenia, other countries doing environmentally sustainable tourism best are Iceland, Czech Republic, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Norway, Austria, and Switzerland.
Earth Day is a day to celebrate the planet and encourage people to be more environmentally friendly. Slovenia celebrated it with several environmental activities. This year the specific focus was on creating better environmental and climate literacy and educating people – both children and adults – on environmental issues.
Tree at Lake Bohinj
More than a billion people around the world celebrated Earth Day on Saturday, April 22nd, with the theme ‘Trees for the Earth’. So far 3 million trees have been planted in 32 countries with the goal of planting 7.8 billion trees by the 50th Anniversary in 2020, now that’s a target.
Slovenia is widely recognized as one of the most sustainable and eco-friendly countries in the world. According to the Environmental Performance Index, which ranks 180 countries on how they protect human health and ecosystems, Slovenia is the 5th most environmentally friendly country on Earth.
The 20 most environmentally-friendly countries:
1. Finland – EPI rating: 90.68
2. Iceland – 90.51
3. Sweden – 90.43
4. Denmark – 89.21 5. Slovenia – 88.98
6. Spain – 88.91
7. Portugal – 88.63
8. Estonia – 88.59
9. Malta – 88.48
10. France – 88.2
11. New Zealand – 88
12. United Kingdom – 87.38
13. Australia – 87.22
14. Singapore – 87.04
15. Croatia – 86.98
16. Switzerland – 86.93
17. Norway – 86.9
18. Austria – 86.64
19. Ireland – 86.6
20. Luxembourg – 86.58
Top of the eco-chart is Finland. Following close behind are Iceland, Sweden and Denmark, three countries renowned for their sound environmental policies. More surprising for some, perhaps, is the presence of Slovenia, Spain, Portugal and Malta in the top 10.
Over the centuries we have mercilessly utilized and depleted the Earth’s resources. Our sheer ignorance has begun to cause severe problems like depletion of the Ozone layer, death of rivers due to dumping of industrial waste, global warming etc. We must realize the danger and the good news is that there are simple steps that can be taken to help the environment and support it:
– walk to work, cycle or take public transport,
– use a reusable coffee cup,
– take a tote bag to the shop,
– carry a reusable water bottle,
– buy local produce,
– recycle,
– or plant a tree.
These might be small steps but when a billion people do it together, one can definitely see the results.
A Linden tree in a countryside landscape
The linden tree is a symbol of the Slovenian nation and its role and importance stretch back in the period before there was any real sense of national awareness. In Slovenia you can find several very old linden trees, some are even supposed to be more than 700 years old. The tradition holds that, since time immemorial, people have planted linden trees to mark special occasions.
Traveling on a budget is totally doable if you know where to go. Europe is packed with affordable cities with plenty to see and do and that don’t cost a fortune to fully experience. Thrillist, the 13-year-old digital media brand that reaches more than 16 million monthly subscribers, has put together a list of affordable and beautiful European cities you should visit now. And we’re delighted to report that Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana made it on the list!
Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana
According to the Thrillist, Ljubljana is one of the most beautiful and affordable European cities right now – we highly agree! (photo: Nea Culpa d.o.o.)
Thrillist called Ljubljana ‘a friendly, mountainous jewel at post-Yugoslavian prices’. They summed up their decision with the following words: ‘Slovenia adopted the euro in 2007 and those euros go a looong way. It’s easy to bounce over here on Rail Europe after fretting over your budget in neighboring Austria. Relish the easy stroll from the rail station into the heart of Ljubljana (pronounced “youb-blee-ahna”) along curvy, cobbled medieval lanes lined with ultra-bargain cafes, shops, and open-air watering holes.’
And how did Thrillist describe Ljubljana? Well, they described Slovenia’s capital with very flattering words: ‘Vastly photogenic, this mountain-encircled Baroque city is a remarkable crossroads of Germanic, Latin, and Slavic history. These are stalwart, hard-working mountain folks who enjoy socializing, hanging outdoors, and outdoing Croatia. The architecture, scenery, and humanity in this proud capital city do not disappoint — majestic Ljubljana Castle looms over the antique hamlet, and water melting from the ice-encrusted Alps flows from the taps. Not far off from Ljubljana are the gorgeous mountain-lake towns of Bled and Bohinj. You’ll find this northwestern corner of the Western Balkans is more Euro than Slavic, so they vibe well with Americans and most people speak excellent English.’
The complete list of ’16 Beautiful European Cities You Can Actually Afford to Visit Right Now’ includes Porto (Portugal), Berlin (Germany), Zagreb (Croatia), Tallinn (Estonia), Prague (Czech Republic), Brussels (Belgium), Girona (Spain), Krakow (Poland), Athens (Greece), Glasgow (Scotland), Ljubljana (Slovenia), San Sebastián (Spain), Agrigento (Sicily), Split (Croatia), Budapest (Hungary) and Dublin (Ireland).
If you’re planning to visit Ljubljana in the near future be sure to read more about this charming city here: Welcome to Ljubljana, Slovenia!
The article is available HERE!
National Geographic, one of the world’s most famous and respected travel, educational and scientific organizations, came out with their list of 17 of the World’s Most Romantic Destinations. And we’re so proud to report that Western Slovenia is number 12 on the list!
According to National Geographic, Western Slovenia is one of the 17 world’s most romantic destinations – we highly agree!
The beautiful Bled Island in the middle of Lake Bled in Western Slovenia. (photo: Jure Korber and Tjasa Borsnak)
Other destinations that made the list are Moselle River Valley (Western Europe), Bruges (Belgium), Isle of Skye (Scotland), Mykonos (Greece), The French Riviera (France), San Sebastián (Spain), Yunnan province (China), Venice (Italy), Big Sur (California), Kerala (India), Bhutan (South Asia), Hamilton island (Australia), Yucatán Peninsula (Mexico), Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Jukkasjärvi (Sweden).
One of Slovenia’s most popular natural attractions, the Vintgar Gorge near Bled, is open to public again today! During winter the gorge is officially closed. Apparently it can be dangerous in winter when the ice between the rocks freezes.
The entrance fee is €5 for adults, €4 for students and €2,5 for children, which goes to support the maintenance of the walk. The gorge is open every day from 8.00 to 19.00. There is a free parking area available in front of the entrance to the gorge. We would suggest you set aside about two hours for the walk and would recommend getting there early in the day due to its popularity.
Despite the size of the gorge – it measures 1,6 km – it was only discovered in 1891, when a local cartographer stumbled upon the gorge and discovered the precipitous walls carved out by the Radovna River. They were lucky: The water levels were unusually low at the time, allowing the explorers to pass through the gorge. The canyon was created during the last Ice Age, when a glacier changed the direction of the stream. Now, several millennia later, water roars through the narrows, creating rapids, waterfalls, and turquoise pools. The end of the gorge is marked with a 16-meter waterfall.
Originally, the gorge was almost inaccessible, but local residents soon built a road leading towards the newly discovered attraction and installed a network of suspended footbridges over the river. Almost immediately, it began to draw visitors from around Europe and beyond.
The strikingly picturesque Vintgar Gorge. (photo: Miroslav Asanin)
The Vintgar Gorge has been made into a huge attraction by the addition of walkways alongside and across the river. (photo: Luka Esenko)
The walkway culminates at the 16-metre-high Sum waterfall, which marks the northern end of the gorge. (photo: Dejan Hudoletnjak)
Lake Bled enjoys a setting that is one of the most naturally photogenic in Europe. It is the definition of picture perfect: a small island with a white church, in the center of a crystal-clear lake. The island surrounded by the lush green Slovenian Alps, and spectacular cliff-top castle. So it’s no big surprise that National Geographic, which is one of the most respected travel, educational and scientific organizations in the world, decided to put Bled on the cover of their 2017-2018 Private Jet Expeditions brochure.
The idyllic image of Lake Bled with its picture-postcard island with a medieval church and a dramatic castle built on top of the 130-metre-high rocky cliff is on the cover of the 2017-2018 National Geographic Private Jet Expeditions brochure. The brochure is available HERE
‘The beauty of traveling by private jet with National Geographic is not just in the spectacular places you go, nor the remarkable ease and exhilaration of being whisked from one glorious destination to the next. What makes all the difference is the team of experts who explore with you, sharing their insights and their tales of discovery, and bringing the wonders of the world to life.’ National Geographic addresses travelers at the beginning of the brochure.
There are six tours available in the brochure. Slovenia is included in the tour called ‘Great Empires by Private Jet: Exploring Ancient Persia to the Mediterranean’ and besides Bled, the tour also includes a visit to Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana. Here are some quick points that National Geographic sees as highlights of the tour: ‘Explore spectacular UNESCO World Heritage sites and discover centuries-old castles, palaces, mosques, and cathedrals across Iran, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Serbia, Slovenia, Corsica, and Bosnia and Herzegovina… Step into history at the Silk Road site of ancient Merv, and navigate lively present-day bazaars in Isfahan, Iran, and Bosnia and Herzegovina… Soak up the revitalized energy of cities emerging from tumultuous pasts, from war-torn Saravejo to formerly Stalinist Minsk… Experience the Mediterranean charm of Corsica and the timeless tranquility of Lake Bled in Slovenia.’ The tour is described in detail HERE. Tour price is $68,950 per person. The tour can take up to 75 travelers.
‘A short flight takes us to Ljubljana, where we’ll discover the diverse landscapes of Slovenia, a crossroads of culture nestled between the Alps and the Mediterranean. Take a walking tour of the Old City, and ride the funicular railway to the 15th-century Ljubljana Castle, which offers stunning views of the city. The next day, head northwest to the Julian Alps and the tranquil beauty of Lake Bled. Upon arrival, board a hand-propelled boat for your journey to the tiny island in the middle of the lake, home to the historic St. Mary’s Church and its soaring bell tower and wishing bell, reputed to grant a wish to all who ring it. Then visit the 11th-century Bled Castle, perched on a cliff overlooking the lake.’ is written in the 19-day itinerary.
This recognition by National Geographic is a huge compliment to the Slovenian tourism. ‘This is a recognition of the Slovenia’s authority and worthy appraisal of the hard work of everyone who deals with the tourism industry. The image of a green, active, healthy country that adheres to the principles of sustainable development is distinguished at a high level,’ the Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board Maja Pak says.
Slovenia is being more and more often listed as tourist destination on the lists of the largest world media. Recently the Huffington Post listed Slovenia among the 17 epic places you never thought to travel, but should!
“Croatia’s been a hot travel destination for a few years now, but don’t overlook its charming neighbor to the north. The snowy peaks of the Julian Alps are the dramatic backdrop for Slovenia’s storybook Lake Bled, while outdoor restaurants line the riverwalk in the friendly capital city Ljubljana and the sprawling Postojna Cave is a dramatic diversion.” the Huffington Post substantiated their decision.
The complete list of ’17 epic places you never thought to travel, but should’ includes South Korea, Mauritius, Kazakhstan, Cyprus, Latvia, Ecuador, Samoa, Uruguay, Namibia, Guatemala, Papua New Guinea, Newfoundland (Canada), Romania, Laos, Azerbaijan Slovenia and The Seychelles.
“Travel teaches us invaluable lessons we can’t learn in school. It expands our worldview. It pushes us to be better, stronger, more empathetic human beings. And these 17 places, in no particular order, are where that magic is going to happen this year. Some of them can be experienced in the lap of luxury, while others are for only the most adventurous souls. But all of them have the potential to be the best trip you’ve ever taken,” is written on the American Huffington Post web portal.
Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana (photo: Jacob Riglin)
Slovenia was announced as the global winner in the Destination Leadership category of the 2017 National Geographic World Legacy Awards at the ITB Berlin Convention, the largest travel industry gathering in the world. National Geographic also singled out Slovenia as one of the most sustainable countries in the world.
The World Legacy Awards are intended for the companies, organisations and destinations which encourage positive transformation of tourism, and prove the leading and visionary role in the field of the best practices of sustainable tourism. National Geographic awards are awarded in five categories: Earth Changers, Sense of Place, Conserving the Natural World, Engaging Communities and Destination Leadership. This year’s award entries spanned the planet, representing 45 countries and six continents, showcasing how sustainable tourism has no boundaries.
“National Geographic stands for exploration, conservation and stellar storytelling. World Legacy Awards celebrate the people, places and experiences that exemplify our mission in the global travel industry,” said National Geographic Travel editor-in-chief George Stone in a statement. Stone said the recipients represented the future of travel and are leaders in sustainability.
According to the Slovenian Tourism Organisation director Maja Pak, the award is an excellent promotion for Slovenia, since National Geographic is a highly respected and well renowned voice of authority in the world of Travel. “The award brings noticeability and recognition in the segment of sustainable tourism, which is also our aim,” she emphasized.
Slovenia is the greenest country and leader in sustainable tourism! (photo: Jost Gantar)
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